Michael Douglas speaks up on son’s drug addiction, battle with cancer and producing career

Hollywood actor Michael Douglas has recently spoken candidly about his son’s drug addiction, his battle with cancer and production career.

Speaking at the International Film Festival of India, Goa, Douglas, who also received a lifetime achievement award, recalled his emotional struggle when his oldest son Cameron struggled with drug addiction.

“The hardest time for me I think was with my oldest son Cameron who was in prison, incarcerated for seven and a half years,” said the 79-year-old.

The Fatal Attraction actor continued, “He was a drug addict and [had] issues, serious issues. That was the toughest time for me, my heart. And not to mention, dealing with his addiction.”

Reflecting on two-year of solitary confinement that his son experienced, Douglas stated, “The problem with drugs is sometimes you have to bottom out before you realise. And in his case, because he was involved in selling, in terms of having enough money for his drug habit, and got caught. And then you get a very severe sentence for a nonviolent drug offence.”

Addressing his cancer, The Game actor explained, “It made me understand probably even more deeply drug addiction. I mean, the chemical addiction to drugs and how difficult and how strong it is, what it creates your mind to do what you do to hang on to that addiction.”

Meanwhile, Douglas also opened up about his producer journey in the industry.

Douglas disclosed that he persuaded his father to not sell One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest series and assured him that he could raise the finance himself.

However, in the process, he dropped out of immensely popular series, The Streets of San Francisco.

“In the fifth year of the series, I finally got the finances together to make the picture. And I left the series. People said I was crazy. It was a very, very successful show,” shared Douglas.

The actor mentioned that he talked to Karl Malden who was also his co-star in the series to let him out of his contract and wanted to pursue his producer career.

“That was the beginning then of my producing career,” he added.